Food: Washington DC

Filomena is #1 on our best of 2021 list so I think that’s enough said. Just go! This place has history, fancy decorations, and flavorful pasta! You can literally taste the love they put into creating the dish.

Flavio is a restaurant that we went to because of how many times it had been recommended to us. I’m not sure who was recommending it but they need to stop. The food was mediocre and the service fit the food. The outdoor seating was cute and Instagram-worthy but this is not a restaurant I would suggest to others.

La Vie made it on our worst of 2021 list so just know we do not recommend this place to ANYONE! The service was awful, the food was not worth the money, they overcharged our bill, and they lied about pricing online. It was an overall shit experience and after posting our review we realized so many others felt the same way!

Casta’s Rum Bar is quite the experience! Firstly, they’re located by a hotel & the entrance is slightly “hidden” in this sketch ass alley. Once you enter, you feel like you walked through into a bar in Havana. The ambiance is immaculate & the music is even better! They also have an outdoor section in the back where you can enjoy a cigar while you hang out. We sat in this outside section & truly felt the Cuban vibes.

Side Note: I would not recommend sitting in the outside section if the smell of smoke causes you to lose your appetite.

The drinks were good but not great. Their frozen drinks ‘melted’ fast so the liquid separated from the ice too quickly. They also weren’t too strong so we took shots to make up for it. The food was delicious & we ended up hanging out there for 4 hours since it turns into a club at night. We had an amazing time at this establishment and have recommended it to everyone we know!

Chauncey & I visited Mi Vida during December when The Wharf lit up their Christmas tree! We felt that the food was pretty good, but not good enough for the price. We’d much prefer to spend our money on a family-owned Taqueria. We probably would go back since the ambiance was amazing & it’s a great spot for photos, but we’re not in any rush.

We booked the igloo experience at Del Mar and so far it’s been the most beautiful igloo experience we’ve had! The decor was lovely but it was a little cold (I’m glad I wore a long sleeve). Chancey and I weren’t too hungry this day so we stuck with appetizers. I’m not sure if I don’t enjoy Spanish food or if Del Mar was just not for me. I felt that the flavors classed with each other & the expensive bill at the end was the rotten cherry on top.

This was our first (and only) Korean bbq since Chauncey and I are not the best cookers. We normally wouldn’t dine at a restaurant as such but this was for a Tik Tok collaboration. The food was okay, nothing special. Our server mainly cooked the meat for us but some pieces were overcooked. I also ordered a plate of octopus which was way too salty for my liking. Their drinks tasted delicious but certainly lacked alcohol. It’s a neat experience to cook and dine with your significant other but we won’t be going back.

We have been asked to dine at this spot so many times so we finally had to make it happen. We did not set dinner reservations since it was a last minute visit, but I can assure you – even on a weeknight you want to set previous arrangements as this place was packed. The ambiance immediately was delightful. Everything was picture perfect & I can see where the girlies are getting their IG photo backgrounds now!

I also love a clean and beautiful bathroom which I can tell they spent much time designing. Chauncey & I sat downstairs in the lounge area to enjoy our food. We had to wait for another party to leave in order to sit down which was fine – they cleaned the tables almost immediately.

No review in the world could have prepared me for the amazing flavor of the food. We were STUFFED by the end of the dinner because we could not stop eating! From the guac & chips to the tacos to the tequila flights – everything at Dlena’s was *chefs kiss*. We truly can not wait to come back!

Fiola Mare is a spot sitting on the waterfront in Georgetown. The restaurant is astonishing! Even the lounge area is decorated as if it were for a million dollar house showing. The service is exactly what I expected for the price of the bill (+ more). Our server took great care of us & the dishes just kept coming! Their drinks are strong and some of them are even for 2 people.

This spot is more so known for its nightlife but I did go there for food since it was suggested. Let’s just say – stick to the nightlife.

This is a new Mediterranean restaurant that opened in DC in late 2021. The truly eye-catching moment is the fountain in the center of the restaurant. The decor is phenomenal (one of the best in DC.) I’m not a crazy fan of Mediterranean so I didn’t enjoy this as much as I would have liked, but almost every other person that’s reviewed this spot LOVED it! So although it wasn’t our favorite. We would still recommend trying out Ilili’s.

This is an adorable, aesthetically pleasing, and black WOMEN owned ice cream shop located at the Wharf in DC. Chauncey and I joined 3 other friends to try out their treats since we heard RAVING reviews about them. Unfortunately, all 5 of us weren’t pleased with what we ordered. The ice cream itself is extremely thick & creamy – some people love this, but I do not. My friends noted that the flavor was too intense, causing the ice cream to be overly sweet and dense like syrup. I felt nauseously sick after eating & threw up once I got home. I wouldn’t say the ice cream was bad – I just don’t think I have the acquired taste for heavy, overly sweet treats.

To top off the bad review, after posting my Tik Tok video of Soda Pop – not only did friends of the owners threaten to fight me in Tik Tok comments & on Instagram – one of the owners herself posted on an Instagram story that she would do the same. As a restaurant owner myself, this is absurdly unprofessional. Customer reviews are natural (including bad ones) and come with owning a restaurant. The key to running a successful business is listening to customer complaints to fix your establishment while also understanding that you can’t please everybody & that some reviews should be overlooked. I would not recommend this establishment but their ice cream presentation is cute and I will always appreciate a women-owned business.

Urban Roast had been on our “go-to” list for almost the entire year! We had no idea if it was a restaurant or cafe or tiny shack but we know they decorate heavily for the holidays! We stopped by in December and were in awe of how many photo opportunities they have! I wonder where they store all of their Christmas trees during the off-season.

I personally did not care for the empanadas Chauncey ordered but my mac & cheese was surprisingly good considering it looked like Kraft Mac.

Half Smoke is known for its brunches and weekend vibes. It’s a place you go to hang out, not for food but we found that out after our experience. Half Smoke offers indoor or outdoor dining (igloos). We don’t recommend the igloo reservations as we’ve heard from numerous people that the weight time isn’t justifiable & it’s either extremely hot or cold based on the season. Chauncey and I ate indoors & were not pleased with literally anything. The establishment was disgustingly filthy (don’t even get me started about the bathrooms). Our service was quite mediocre & the food was awful. I actually feel robbed at gunpoint for paying. The music is ridiculously loud so don’t come here for a brunch if you actually want to chat with your friends. Their pricing is unjustifiable but their drinks are “good”. I hate cocktails that taste like straight liquor but they’re very strong so that’s the only positive I can mention. I would not recommend this establishment…at all.

A pizza parlor inside of a grocery store? Yep, that’s exactly what Andy’s Pizza is (the location we went to). We were lucky to meet the Andy while being there and he was such a sweet soul that we want to support FOREVER. It’s also a lot easier since his food is some of the best that’s ever touched my taste buds. Although his cheese pizza is pure classic, you will not be disappointed in the white pizza! It was my personal favorite. We totally recommend this spot & stop by Spot of Tea’s Boba while you’re in the market😉

Little Beast is a pizza parlor that offers regular style or Chicago dish pizza! Chauncey and I tried one of each & I wish I only tried his. I didn’t care too much for the food, it just doesn’t compare well with Andy’s pizza. The owners of Andy’s also owns a cupcake business so we did have some delicious treats after eating our slices.